march madness

As basketball season is coming to an end, the weather is getting nicer and nicer every day, and with St. Patty's Day coming up this weekend, I am taking time to slow down and reflect tonight. 

Here's a quote I came up with today, that a couple of my friends liked...

" Life is simple. We are the ones that make it too hard. Love people. Live with intention. Work hard and play even harder. Don't be selfish, you hurt other people when you don't think how they feel. Be empathetic, out yourself in their shoes. Work on bettering yourself to make the world a better place, then tell others about it. Oh, and never take your family or friends for granted, they are the ones who you go to when you forget all the other stuff." 

Peace and Loveeeeee

Megan 

New year, new outlook?

 It has been a while since I have blogged, for good reason! I am now writing for Diabeteshealth.com (an online diabetes magazine) which also is in print! It has been really exciting and it's fun to get little blogs published! So check out and comment on my blog @ diabeteshealth.com (There is a new one up today 1/27!) Thanks for the support!

 So, what does the new year mean for me? Well it obviously means dusting off the 3 (yes 3!) goal/vision boards to see how my goals have changed and collage some new magazine articles and pictures into what I think this year should entail. And also some more goals for this year.
( Yes, this is probably from watching years of Oprah with my mom, but hey, it really does work!)

If I write something down (or collage it in pretty picture form, I am 10 times more likely to actually accomplish it, or at least think about accomplishing it)

These are always loose goals because I always think as Beyonce says, "never become lazy or comfortable, nothing every comes from being comfortable" (or something like that, it's on the board). I never will hold myself to the goals because some are far out and unattainable this year. But, they are on there as motivation.

It seems redundant to do this a month into the year, but here are some of my "loose" goals!

- Great vacation (in the works already!!!!! Freaking out!)
- run a half marathon and blog about it in diabeteshealth.com (in the works already too) Chicago half!
- Kick ass with my job (again, in the works! I have been all over the place traveling!)
- Write more (yep, that's what I am doing now)
- stay motivated (hence the boards)
- Health (diabetes, I'm coming for you) this may mean attaching my sensor for more than 2 days @ a time, ughhhhh
- Save money (new condo? Apartment? in the next year?)
- Cook more. I love it and don't do it enough. I eat out a lot because of all the travel, but it's a pain to get all the ingredients on the weekend because I sometimes go out then too, which leaves me with rotten veggies on Monday. See previous goal. fail.
- contribute most alloted to 401k! Done!


Your welcome America. (kidding the 3 people that read this who are my mom, dad, and boyfriend)
Thanks guys.

Updates to come soon!

Go read diabeteshealth.com today! AND COMMENT!

peace and hugs,

Meg/

Random thoughts/quotes

I read a couple daily meditations/ bible verses/ spiritual teachings when I can. Why I do this could be another 50 posts, but let's stick to the point tonight. The book I currently love is written by Mark Nepo. His teaching for yesterday was pretty profound, so I thought I would share :

He is talking about staying committed to "your inner path," which, I think, is something that can easily get lost in the chaos that is life in this day and age! Mark goes on to say that...

"This means not separating from yourself when things get tough or confusing. This means accepting and embracing your faults and limitations. It means loving yourself no matter how others see you. It means cherishing the unchangeable radiance that lives within you, no matter the cuts and bruises along the way. It means binding your life with the solemn pledge to the truth of your soul." 

And he continues to say that caring for your soul is " interweaving the life of our spirit with the life of our psychologly; the life of our heart with the life of our mind; the life of our faith and truth with the life of our doubt and anxiety. Our humanness with our spirit"

Just what I needed to read today. Calm within the storm is sometimes closer than your realize. 

Vacation and life insanity

Vacation = major success. My cousin and I basically ate, drank, and played all week. It was incredibly relaxing and peaceful! It was a perfect little get a way!

Now, about two weeks and one work trip later (I was gone allll week last week in St. Louis!) I am playing a game of catch up! Hence, the short post!

Just wanted to shoot a quick update and say...

HAPPY WORLD DIABETES DAY!

(and by happy, I mean let's spread awareness and find a cure... that would = happy!)

So, go find your nearest diabetic and give them a hug! They go though a lot everyday, and they may just need a hug today (most likely). Or a trip to the nearest swing-set (yep, I did this today with a good friend!!!) Somehow on a swing, life seems to be more fun!

Packing: diabetes style

Traveling so much for work has made me super low maintenance. I used to be that girl that had 2 suitcases too many and was always cramming on more outfit in for good measure. "What if it's raining and I don't have the perfect rain boots to match my rain poncho" type. Not really that extreme, but you know what I mean. 

Now, I literally throw what every couple "work" outfits I put together (this I actually think about) and then some makeup, pjs, and workout clothes in my suitcase and call it a day. Sort of...

Now that I have become a totally different packing personality over the span of a year, I only have one super frustration when it comes to packing.... Diabetes!!! My free spirit, hippie side just wants to be able to pack nothing and be set for the week, but realistically, I have a high maintenance disease that definitely prevents that. 

For instance, I went to live in London for a summer to study writing through NYU's journalism program. This was right before senior year of college. I literally had one suitcase of clothes, and one of infusion sets, reservoirs, alcohol swabs, insulin, glucagon kits, batteries for pump, batteries for meter, back up meter, and everything else you could possibly think of. (makes me stressed out even THINKING of that time!!) months in a foreign country! Clearly, being 20, I didn't want to let diabetes prevent me from doing what I really wanted to do, so I went, suitcases and notebooks in hand! Turned out to be an awesome trip! But I digress...

Now, I am leaving tomorrow morning for a little week-long vacation to Arizona. Granted, this is not a 3 month long stay in London, but all the precautions have to be made. I have to be insanely organized and on top of things. I've been stressed out for weeks making sure I have ordered all the correct meds, so I don't run out of anything while I am there. If I am home and carelessly forget to order one of the 10 prescriptions I have to maintain and regularly order, I can go run to the doctor's office. This on top of my insane job, travel, account managing, order taking, workout schedule, diabetes maintenance (which has gone to crap since I an stressed). 300s every-night...guilt = tired megan. 

But! Once I hit the sun and 80 degree weather tomorrow, it will all be worth it! And I am totally sleeping on the plane...

INSPIRED!

wow, that was fast...

Wanted to leave some inspiration in the form of pictures!

I have been painting a lot lately and those pics will be up soon! (stay tuned!!!)
(credit to wehearit.com)
simple photo, but fall is here and I'm obsessed with the tought of living in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere, in fact, when I am driving in cornfields for work, I often pick out my little cottage, much like this pic!!)

found this on pinterest! How amazing!

Lifeclass!

So, it's been a while! For good reason, more on that later, but new blog and DOC (diabetes online community friends) have recently spurred me (hopefully) posting a lot more! Shout out to scott johnson for connecting everyone via facebook today! Check out his awesome blog @http://scottsdiabetes.com/ 

 Hi Cassie! Hi Meagan! :)

Life lately has been anything but focused on or about the 'betes, but that came to bite me in the ass about a week ago when my pump broke and I ended up in the 600s one night. Exhausting. This, following a week of travel that usually always reeks havoc on my sugar control. (any tips out there? besides a pain in the butt CGM??) With the crazy work schedule, it super hard to keep everything in balance! That's definitely my biggest challenge. Good thing I am learning to juggle. :) 

On the personal front, nothing could be better. I am not sure what all I want to throw out there, this is a diabetes blog, but who knows, maybe eventually I will delve back into personal and post-ED updates! All is well!

Has anyone seen/ been involved in Oprah's lifeclass. I know, I know.. most of my friends make fun of me, but it's totally rocking my world. Free therapy basically! No, it's really great! It's basically an hour every week night of life lessons by great people,  and also on her website there are interactive questions. Fridays are webcasts after the show (which really is the best part). Basically, it's awesome and I am learning A TON! 

I literally have filled out an entire moleskin notebook with thoughts brought about by thinking about the questions posed... if you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it. I sort of feel like having a chronic illness makes me even more aware of myself and how other people feel (empathetic) and also, makes me want to make the most of myself. To be my best self, I know I have to always be growing. (I could go on forever, but anyways, check it out!) 

Here are a couple awesome questions posed on the site (oprah.com) Starting with the first night (last monday, Ego was talked about extensively) It was the best class yet : 

"What is the one thing that you most identify yourself with (your looks, your job, your family, etc.)? Who would you be if that were to disappear?"

She goes on to ask how your opinions of what other's think effect your daily choices and decisions. And then she went on to talk about how moving beyond or above the ego can make you align yourself with your "true self". Fascinating how much our ego's can get in the way, even when making simple decisions. It's a lot to think about, but you are not your ego, you are the awareness and separation of your true self from your ego. Fear is another topic covered extensively! How many times has fear stopped you from doing something? For me, the answer is a lot. Trying to be aware and change it. How different would the world be if people had no fear? And followed their crazy ideas through? With no fear of failing? Interesting stuff. 

I should leave you there! But more updates coming soon! Promise!

Oh favorite new songs : Kelly Clarkson (yeah, I know, but it's an awesome female empowerment song! " What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" 

D-friends, this is a break up song, but if you relate it to diabetes, it's an awesome message!

Have a good week! Im off to Arizona for a lil' R & R!

Meg